Darkest Shadows

Leayona sped out the Obsidian Sanctum without looking back. The fools she left behind would not follow her. Even if they did, they would be too slow.
As the priest sped along, levitating a few feet above the scorch blackened rocks, she reached into the pouch at her waist, pulling it open. It was magically created,

threads of Embersilk interwoven with threads of magic and coated in Hypnotic dust. The overall effect meant that it's insides were, in fact, a good deal larger than the

tiny pouch itself. Leayona fished around inside the bag for a second before locating what she wanted. Leayona pulled the magic carpet out just as she reached the

portal. Throwing it in front of her she followed it through the magical gate, appearing underneath the Wyrmrest Temple moments later. The carpet was already floating

lazily before her and she stepped lightly onto the delicate fabric. Her weight barely made a dent in the carpet as she crouched to gain her balance. The carpet was one of

her most prized possessions. Something that had taken her months to create and was far more magical than the simple bag she kept it in.
Holding her hands against the soft cloth, she allowed the shadows to slide over her hands and onto the carpet, spreading around her in an ever growing circle until the

whole carpet was coated in it. The carpet would now respond to her thoughts, without the tedious need to actually steer it manually. Leayona let the carpet lift her off the

floor, and making sure she had a solid purchase, sent it flying through the great gap in the side of the temple to the frigid wastes of Dragonblight. Most people would

freeze to death within minutes wearing the clothes she was in such conditions, but the shadows embraced her and the cold simply passed her by, sliding around her,

causing barely a stir in the air as she traveled through it.
It was a long flight to Dalaran, floating high above the Crystalsong Forest and so Leayona closed her eyes and let her thoughts drift back.

The shell that was known to the Hand of the Titans had been using Shadow magic far more than she should, that much was clear. Despite her efforts to keep her darker

side locked away deep down in the recesses of her mind, she had not been able to resist the call of the Shadows. All that Shadow magic coursing through her had been

enough for the darker side to break free, but she was still confused as to where she was. The silly girls defenses had kept her from knowing what was going on. She had

just been locked inside a dark place within her own rightful body, unable to see and unable to hear.
Once she had been set free, it took Leayona only a moment to figure out where she was. Before her lay the corpse of a black dragon, around her were her "companions"

dirty, sweaty and in a few cases, covered in blood and a few burns. It did not take her long to realise what had happened. The Hand of the Titans had called on the girl for

help, or maybe she had even volunteered, believing herself strong enough, to aid in taking down one of the black dragonflight.
Well, thought the Shadow Priestess, at least the girl was doing something useful.
She felt nothing at the thought of killing something so noble as one of the Dragonflight. In fact she never felt much about killing anything. But she understood necessity.

The Black Dragonflight had to die, as did all of the Twilight cults. They posed too much of a threat to the world. It was all very well and good being in full control over

herself again, but what use was that if the world was about to end due to some fool cultists that allowed themselves to get brainwashed by some Old God? No, the girl

was at least right in her thinking there. However, she could never hope to be of any real use. She had clearly not sensed anything wrong from her little group, but the

moment the Shadow Priestess had emerged, she had known. There was some foul corruption about. Possibly one of her "companions" was infected, perhaps someone

they were close to and it had rubbed off on them. Regardless, they were a threat and she would not stay under threat from such corruption. Not if she could help it.
The fool girl should have known, she thought to herself. Surely even lacking a direct connection to the Shadows she would have been able to smell the stench of

corruption? But evidently she hadn't.
Or else...
No. That was foolish. Even the little Priestess of the light wasn't that foolish. Still... Something to consider.

Time wore on as the Priestess flew towards the city of Mages and as the night grew longer and the temperature dropped, she continued her musings. Slowly she began

to formulate a plan. It would likely win her no allies, but she had never needed allies anyway. It was ironic though, she thought to herself. These hand members were now

hunting her because they wanted her dead, when really she was likely their best chance of surviving the coming threats.

It was a few days later, in Orgrimmar, before Leayona was ready to try anything. She had spent her time listening and learning what she could from the Talisman and the

city gossip, but everything had been remarkably quiet and she was forced into acting in haste, before something happened she couldn't do anything about.
Finding a spot above the cliffs in the Valley of Honor, Leayona had slowly levitated down onto the roof of an easily accesable building and take up her vantage point. She

had a good view over most of the Valley and knew that sooner or later she would get her oppertunity.
As it happened, her oppertunity came later than expected. Members of the Hand finally appeared in the valley below her. She took out her Talisman, looking down at it. If

she did this, she knew she would be hunted till her death if she was ever found out, but she would rather deal with a group of Hand members than whatever corruption

she might have to face instead.
Shaking her head she ignored her misgivings and set to work, concentrating on the mind link in the Talisman. It was beautiful really, the way all these minds were linked

so seamlessly. It was a fantastic bit of magic and she revelled in it for a moment before starting to send the Shadows from her own mind into it. Thin tendrills of Shadow

grew out of her and snaked their way into the Talisman, disapearing like worms down a hole. The effects were immediate, at least to her. Below her in the valley, it didn't

look like anything was different though. Slowly she began to increase the power of the shadows, whispering to them, whispering to the members of the Order below.

Focusing her magic on the Talisman, she travelled down its magical link to the minds on the other end, feeling with the tendrils of shadow, searching. Nothing was

apparent to her though. She could not sense any corruption. She would have to focus on one of them and hope she could discern something more from a direct

connection. Leayona already knew that the paladin was the obvious choice. Her mental barriers were weak and her mind would be easy to connect to.
The Shadow Priestess began to mutter to herself under her breath, the words unintelligable, but the spell was a powerful one. The Paladin below was her target and she

forced her will upon the girl, demanding answers. Demanding to know about the corruption, but whether by sheer force of will, or by hidden reserves of strength, the

Paladin resisted her magic, and before she could try again, the Elf next to her had stepped up and swiftly removed the Talisman from the Paladin, breaking Leayona's

connection. Thankfully, the Talisman's magic allowed the Shadow Priestess a safe bridge back to her own mind without any damage.

Leayona scowled down at the two Elves down in the Valley. It had all been a waste. She would not be able to try that again, now. It was too dangerous, they might be able

to create some sort of defense or counter attack. No, her once chance at finding the corruption and she had found nothing.
No, not nothing, she corrected herself. Though there was no trace of corruption inside of her mind, there were traces of it on her person. She had definatley been near

who ever (or whatever) it was that was causing such dark magic. That was something, the Priestess thought to herself bitterly. That narrowed it down hugely.
The Elf hovered just out of view for a time, watching, thinking, her face invisible behind its mask of Shadows.
Finally, without a sound she faded back from the edge and disapeared.